VOLUME 2 No. 2 | APR - JUN 2017 , PHILIPPINE SPORTS COMMISSION NEWSMAGAZINE

Let The Children Play PSC CHILDREN’S GAME page 6

Ulirang Sports in a 1st PSC Ama time of Ifugao page 4 Conflict: sets Tribal course the Marawi Games page 16 experience held page 12 page 15 April - June 2017 | PSC NEWSMAGAZINE 1 EDITORIAL the CHAIRMAN speaks

This quarter we revived the Children’s Games, which is very close to my heart and the core of REAL the Philippine Sports Commission’s Sports for Peace program, amid the Marawi City crisis.

While we held a Barangay Sports Forum prior to the staging of the Children’s Games in last May, the war in Marawi City broke out and President de- GOLD clared Martial Law in all of . We feel the grief and the pain of our brothers and sisters in Marawi who not only lost homes to the war but also loved ones who were caught in the crossfire.

We also had to evacuate some of our Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) staff and vol- IN unteer coaches who conducted a consultative meeting and grassroots coaching education there when the siege erupted in Marawi City. You know who you are, thank you for your courage and love to serve the people in Marawi.

And yet, the Children’s Games in Davao City, albeit the Martial Law ruling, drew over 1,000 CHILDREN’S Christian, and Muslim children. It was indeed a shining moment for sports as we showed the world that peacemaking starts with the children.

In the midst of global terrorism and national terrorism, the more we focus on sports for peace as we are guided by the directions of the President to make sports available for all, breaking GAMES barriers of religion, dialect, color, social and economic status.

The children will be our future leaders. That is how valuable they are. Instilling in them good values, teamwork, fair play, sportsmanship and discipline through sports - that is the real gold medal, seeing them transform into better ver- sions of themselves for the good of the community and inspiring them to go to IRONICALLY, the Children’s Games, a major component of the plement a program that meets UNESCO’s major themes and school and dream for their future. Teaching how important peace is among Philippine Sports Commission’s Sports for Peace program, objectives. UNESCO then invited Chairman Ramirez to present our children is also vital. was revived in Davao City on the same day that the Marawi the Children’s Games to the 6th International Conference of siege erupted and Martial Law was declared in Mindanao last Ministers and Senior Officials Responsible for Physical Educa- After all, sports is not only about gold medals in the Southeast Asian (SEA) May 2017. tion and Sport in Kazan, Russia. However, PSC Commission- Games, and the Olympics, although we all want that for our er Ramon Fernandez represented the Chairman to the Russia country. Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman Wil- event. liam “Butch” Ramirez had the option to cancel the Children’s We will continue to talk peace and unity as we make every effort to bring Games but he pushed through with it after Davao City Mayor “The children is our focus, they are the real gold and sports to the periphery. -Carpio saw no need to do such. for me, more previous than the ones in the or the Olympics because. They are the future leaders We may be able to produce 22 million barangay sports for peace volun- Over 1,000 Muslim, Lumad and Christian children and peacemakers of the country. When children play, human- teers and more Children’s Games before the President’s term ends. from 30 of the city’s 180 barangays formed part of the Games ity celebrates,” Ramirez said. We will strive to achieve this. that featured Larong , basketball, volleyball and sports for peace storytelling. There are other Children’s Games initiated by We will continue to collaborate with local government units, Depart- non-government organizations (NGOs) in other countries but ment of Education, Department of Interior and Local Government and Chairman Ramirez observed that despite the war in only the Philippines has a Children’s Games included in the other stakeholders in the private sector, the academe, and different Marawi, the Children’s Games participants learned “early les- program of a government agency. national sports organizations to move our services and programs for- sons” in peace, brotherhood and inclusivity and that they can ward. play and mingle with each other regardless of their tribe, reli- The first Mindanao Children’s Games was launched gion, dialect and social status. during the first term of Chairman Ramirez in 2008 in Davao Meanwhile, this edition of the PSC News Magazine will feature the Mara- City after the success of the Sports for Peace program in Mid- wi crisis experience of our staff, preparations for the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts This sparked the interest of the United Nations Educa- sayap, North Cotabato where hundreds of children of Moro In- Games, PSC team building, Tribal Games in Ifugao, Directional Meeting and the Laro’t tional Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to forge ternational Liberation Front (MILF) figthers were housed and Saya sa Parke in , among others. a partnership with the PSC and the Philippine Sports Institute played together with Christian kids at Notre Dame of Midsayap (PSI) in making the Sports for Peace program an effective and College. The slogan we coined during the Children’s Games in Davao put to words what serves powerful tool not just for values formation but also as a strong as the fire and drive in every man and woman in the PSC, all working for the better- vehicle for development and peace. The Children’s Games was only revived during the ad- ment of sports: ministration of President Rodrigo R. Duterte who earlier chal- UNESCO, thus, cited the Philippines as the first to im- lenged Ramirez “to make sports available to all”. Para sa kabataan, para sa kapayapaan, para sa ating Inang bayan! 2 April - June 2017 | PSC NEWSMAGAZINE April - June 2017 | PSC NEWSMAGAZINE 3 PARA SA BATANG PINOY ULIRANG by LEDDA MARIE R. TUAZON AMA by MALYN P. BAMBA

The third Sunday of June each year sees admirable men an icing on the cake. One does not work and serve for Salvador Medialdea (gov- achievers from different fields of interest on one stage the accolades” Chairman Ramirez said about his Ulirang ernment and public service), who are all awardees this 2017. when the The Ulirang Ama Ina Awards Foundation, Ama citation. “Seeing sports being an integral part of Inc. confers them the honor of an Ulirang Ama award. nation-building is an award in itself. Seeing how sports Chairman Ramirez was joined by wife Mercy Men of ideals, paragon of dedication and success as fa- help form a child’s future is a victory. This is a bonus!” and daughter Farah and family when he received the All is set for this year’s Batang Pinoy competitions. Ven- According to Quintos, in order to qualify for the ther and at the same time leaders in their own fields. award. His other children Omar and Joshua both followed ues and dates for each qualifying leg are all confirmed National Finals in these 18 sports, they must have partic- A number of notable projects of the PSC the milestone through videos and pictures sent online. and requests for Memorandum Circulars from the De- ipated in the Qualifying Legs. She also added that “eight On June 18 of this year, the Philippine where conceptualized, crafted and implement- partment of Education and the Department of Interior additional sports- Cycling, Gymnastics, Judo, Rugby Sports Commission’s very own “ama” received a ed during Chairman Ramirez’s terms, like the Sports The foundation confers this presti- and Local Government have been sent out. Football, Triathlon, Weightlifting, Wrestling and Wushu well-deserved award at the Manila Hotel, recogniz- for peace activities and Philippine Sports Insti- gious award annually to outstanding Filipino fa- - will be the only ones open to all participants for the Na- ing his efforts in Philippine sports through the years. tute . A true father at heart , the Children’s games thers with significant achievements in their respec- For this year, the Board of Commissioners, to- tional Finals to be held in February 2018.” was also crafted and implemented in his time. tive fields of endeavor or career, combining this gether with the members of the National Secretariat, has Chairman William Ramirez is one successfully with the task of caring for the family. opted for a distribution of last year’s record-breaking The Mindanao Qualifying Leg was originally of this year’s batch of Ulirang Ama awardee. He joins notable personalities from different national competition. Qualifying Legs for Mindanao, Vi- scheduled on July 9 to 15 in Oroquieta City, Misamis Oc- fields like retired Supreme Court Justice Ruben Reyes (law The PSC is truly fortunate to have Chair- sayas and respectively will occur prior to the Na- cidental. Seventy-six local government units have already The ever humble and modest chief of the PSC & judiciary), Col. Ariel Querubin (Military), Mr. Raul Con- man Ramirez stand not only as its chairman but our tional Finals itself. sent in their Entry Forms A and A1 to their respective LGU did not even announce the citation to the employees, cepcion (business & industry), Former Vice President Noli “ulirang ama”. Coordinators last May 12, 2017. careful as always not to draw attention to himself. “It is de Castro (Media and Journalism), Executive Secretary In addition to this, they also lowered the age limit from last year’s 17 years old to 15 years old Among these local government units were for this year’s games. Officer in-charge Alona Quintos , Davao City, Tagum City, Nabunturan, Meanwhile, the Qualifying Leg is sched- said this decision was taken to “give access to more chil- Cabadbaran, Butuan, Agusan del Sur, Lamitan, etc. Orig- uled on September 23 to 29 in Dumaguete City, Negros dren.” All of the participants will be classified under two inally, the Entry Form B, Medical Clearance and Waiver Oriental while the Luzon Qualifying Leg is set for October age groups: under 13 and 13 to 15 years old. of Liability Form, and Birth Certificate deadline for Min- 22 to 28 in Vigan, Ilocos Sur. In preparation for the oth- danao was June 9, 2017 but it was extended to September er two upcoming legs, local government units from var- Events across 18 different sports are open for 1, 2017 in consideration of the incident in Marawi and the ious regions have already started coordinating with their the athletes. The top contenders - the top five per Indi- sudden declaration of Martial Law in the Mindanao area. own LGU coordinators with regards to concerns about vidual Event and top three for Team Events for each of Similarly, the Mindanao Qualifying Leg itself has been requirements for eligibility, deadlines and competition Qualifying Legs - will be given a subsidy from the Phil- postponed out of concern for the safety and security of rules. ippine Sports Commission when they join the National the young participants. Finals. “So far, all matters have been addressed and all arrange- ments have been finalized in anticipation of the events for this year,” Quintos confirmed.

Batang Pinoy is a sports development program mandated by Executive Order No. 44 as a platform for friendly competition for in-school and out-of-school Filipino youth aged 15 years old and below. In line with the agency’s thrust towards the development of sports in the grassroots level, Batang Pinoy provides an avenue for the harnessing of athletic skills at an early age, of- fers opportunities for social integration, and aids in the development of admirable values such as self-discipline, sportsmanship and respect for authority through sports.

4 April - June 2017 | PSC NEWSMAGAZINE April - June 2017 | PSC NEWSMAGAZINE 5 Sport has proven to be a let the children play! by MALYN P. BAMBA

cost-effective When the President ordered Philippine Sports Commis- event pushes through without a hitch. The city supported the PSC sion Chairman William Ramirez to go to far-flung areas through and through. It was a rousing success despite the challenges. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural to bring sports to the farthest barrio and reach out to en- Organization (UNESCO) agrees. It has taken notice of the Chil- gage children in sports, the agency really took it to heart. Basketball for boys, volleyball for girls and Larong Pi- dren’s Games, citing the Philippines as one of the first to implement and flexible noy like sack race, Maria went to town, bukong bukong and a project which meets major points and objectives of an agreement Initially conceived as an answer to the challenge of Presi- kadang kadang were played, to instill coordination, disci- which was signed only in July 2017 in Kazan, Russia during the 6th dent Rodrigo Roa Duterte to “make sports available to all,” the Chil- pline and team-spirit. There was also a story-telling session UNESCO International Conference of Ministers and Senior Offi- dren’s Games proved to be a positive presence of the government as a way to teach children about culture, character and sports. cials Responsible for Physical Education and Sport (MINEPS VI). tool in promot- in a non-conflict set-up which gives children aged 12 years a taste of friendly competition as well as an opportunity for fun and play. Aside from the obvious benefits of involving our youth in The PSC Children’s Games met 2 of 3 main themes sports and play, the project provided “early lessons” in peace, broth- of the MINEPS VI which are developing a comprehensive vi- The maiden edition of the project was held in erhood and inclusivity in the children. PSC Chairman Ramirez sion of inclusive access for all and maximizing the con- ing peace and Davao City last May 23 to 26 which was launched, iron- calls it “the beginning of the beginning of sports development.” tributions of sport to sustainable development and peace. ically, on the same day that the Marawi siege erupted. The project has evolved into a peace-making tool and The agency aims to have at least 15 editions in 2017 tar- Martial law was declared during this time. While Davao is a component of the Sports for Peace program of the agen- geting areas of conflict, oppression and lack where some playful development was on lock-down being a hot-target area, around 1000 children cy and the government. It would seem pre-ordained that it respite for the children will be appreciated and most beneficial. from 30 barangays of Davao City spent three days of fun and play launched on such an emotional time. “I am so happy to see chil- We aim for the real “gold” here, our children. under heavy security. Presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor dren playing because it shows a picture of early peace-mak- There are still many places to go, but surely the PSC will Sara Duterte made sure that the children were safe and that the ing,” said Chairman Ramirez, “when children play, peace wins.” plod on, knowing that with every step we build a better future. Sports is a teaching tool. We teach our kids objectives. discipline, team work and determination in the UN OFFICE ON SPORTS FOR hope of molding a future of good leaders and solid DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE citizens in a society of peace and brotherhood. -PSC Chairman William I. Ramirez

6 April - June 2017 | PSC NEWSMAGAZINE April - June 2017 | PSC NEWSMAGAZINE 7 ment Division takes charge in the formulation of beneficiaries from this program but there are still efforts grading), rental venues used by the NSAs, reimburse- services is Ms. Matea Linco the Head of the SAT Office. ernment em- ployee. He served as Sergeant development plans, program and projects, undertake re- to bring this program to provinces around the country. ment and liquidation issues, medical assistance, realign- from the Philippine Army and as a search and studies. The Assistance and Coordination Di- ment or budget and similar matters concerning NSAs. Another well known project of the agency is the Coun- cilor from the local govern- vision on the other hand, is the one tasked in assisting the For the past several years, the Batang Pinoy Philippine National Games that is also well participated ment of Hungduan, Ifugao. He also preparation of athletes’ and coaches’payroll including the is one of the most participated grassroots program of The Sea and Air Travel Unit (SAT) is also super- by different athletes from different provinces includ- rose from the rank as he started as STEPPING foreign coaches. It also handles the incentive and pen- the country. Thousands of young athletes from dif- vised by Dumuk that is tasked to provide the purchase ing some former national athletes which is now on the Comput- er Operator II to his original sion program under RA 10699 as amended and undertake ferent regions competed for being possible nation- of domestic and international airline tickets through hand of Ms. Rachel. She is part of almost all the leg of the appoint- ment as Division extensive research and coordination for the Philippine al athlete of the country. And for this year, Ms. Alo- online booking and with the assistance of various rec- past PNG, she already master the activities and transac- Chief of the As- Sports Hall of Fame and the Philippine Sports Museum. na will be handling PSC’s Batang Pinoy, looking for ognized travel agencies, hotel reservations/accommo- tion of this projects. There is no question that she can sistance and another success through the participation and coop- dations, travel tax exemption endorsements, and waiv- handle this project and brings success to the agency. Coordi Last is the Sports Facilities and Maintenance eration of fellow PSC officials and employees and from er of airport terminal endorsements of Agency officials UP Division which undertakes the maintenance of all build- the support of the different local government units. and employees, Philippine Olympic Committee officials Acting Sports Facilities and Maintenance Di- ings, grounds and venues/facilities of the Commission. and National Sports Associations officials, athletes and vision Chief Mr. Manuel G. Bitog, from the province of It conducts a pe- coaches. Ms. Rachel’s companion in providing these Banawe, Ifugao has different experience as a gov- riodic ocular in- continue to page 23... spection and pre- Acting Sports Facilities and Maintenance Division Chief Mr. Manuel G. Bitog pare report on the FOR status of repairs, refurbishing and maintenance of all buildings, grounds ONE FOR SPORTS - and venues/facil- ities to provide a Filipino-Chinese Friendship Day copy thereof to the THE by CRISTINA M. GARCIA Engineering Office and to assign Ven- ue Managers to the various venues and win in this sport and placing 2nd is even talk to her about the games I even saw her trophy dis- sports facilities of a plus. All the Chinese table tennis ath- played on her table. “Truly, the experience was one of a CALL the Commission. letes are well prepared and very good in kind and I am looking forward to join again next time”. by ELIAS S. SAMORIN this sport so it came to her as a surprise These to win 2nd place. As I reach her table to “It was hard and challenging fight”, this is three divisions un- Acting Deputy Executive Director Rachel Ribo-Dumuk IN CELEBRATION OF THE 16TH FILIPINO-CHINESE what the PSC Badminton Team described their one- The Philippine Sports Commission is the national govern- der the Bureau on Coordinating Secretariat and Support FRIENDSHIP DAY ON 09 JUNE 2017, the Federation of day event at the Rizal Badminton Hall. Headed by PSC ment body tasked to oversee matters on amateur sports. Services is under the supervision of the three acting Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Commissioner Arnold G. Agustin, the team declared It provides promotion of grassroots sports development chiefs who have been part of the agency since it started. It goes to show that her experiences from different pro- “ I really enjoyed the Inc. and Filipino Chinese Amateur Athletic Federation in as Champions after defeating various teams in our and Sports-for-All Programs, assistance to sports or- grams and projects gained the trust of the management partnership with the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) home court. The PSC team was divided into team A and ganizations, as well as venues/facilities manage- The Program Planning and Development Di- for her to lead the agency’s campaign for sports involve- organized the 2017 Filipino-Chinese Friendship Games. tournament, it is not Team B. The Champion team played the Mixed Dou- ment services. vision is in the hands of Ms. Gloria D. Quintos, Ms. ment. Her leadership skills will be expected to encour- bles, Women’s Doubles and Mens Doubles events. Mr. Rachel Ribo-Dumuk on the Assistance and Coordi- age each of her colleagues most especially under her The friendship games featured events such as Richard Sena, one of the Commission’s representative T h e PSC has three nation Division while the Sports Facilities and Main- Division for the success of each programs and projects. badminton, basketball, table tennis and golf. The PSC em- everyday that we meet in different badminton tournaments said “I really en- divisions con- trolled by the Bu- tenance Division is under Mr. Manuel G. Bitog. And ployees were also invited to participate in the games along joyed the tournament, it is not everyday that we meet reau on Co- ordinating Sec- even though these positions are not their present ap- It’s also easy to say that Ms. Rachel Ribo-Du- with the athletes from the Filipino-Chinese community. and compete with Chinese players and I am privilege retariat and Support Services pointments, they step up for the call, the need of their muk has been part of the agency since it was start- and compete with The Basketball event was held in Chiangkai Shek School to be part of the Filipino-Chinese Friendship Day.” To- which plays a vital role to the leadership skills to take control of the three divisions. ed. She is a product of the University of the Philip- in Quezon City. The PSC team may placed second in the gether with his partner Mr. Joseph Barredo, we reached main func- tion of the agency. pines-Diliman with the Bachelor’s Degree in Applied games but for them, the experience was like winning the Chinese players and I am the finals and got the sweetest championship title. Ms. Gloria D. Quintos or “Ms. Alona” as they Physics. Ms. Rachel has been assigned to different of- championship. Mr. Michael Jones Velarde, one of the T h e Program Plan- call her, has been part of the agency for 23 fruitful years. fices of the agency starting from a Monitoring Officer, PSC basketball players, shared that it was indeed a good Winning numerous titles isn’t the only mean- ning and Devel- She took up Bachelors of Business Administration at the Head of the NSA Affairs Office to being an Executive As- experience for all of them. “It was our first time to play privilege to be part of the ing of victory, but also gaining new experiences and op- Philippine Christian University. Before entering the PSC, sistant under former Commissioner Jose Luis Gomez. in an air-conditioned court, our opponents are really enjoying the tournament itself may also define victo- Quintos worked as a Community Development Officer II tough but we still gave our best to win”. Like what Mr. ry in sports. For us all who became part of this year’s in the Office of the Vice Mayor of the Municipality of Presently, she is designated as the Acting Chief Filipino-Chinese Velarde said, Mr. Leopoldo Nazal, a long time basketball Filipino-Chinese Friendship Day, it was a day of uni- Marikina. No wonder why she’s no stranger in serv- of Support Services Division (ACD). With her leadership fanatic and player, also said that it was a great oppor- ty and friendship among all of us and a great honour ing the government as she transfered to the PSC. skills as proven with her past track records and for the fact tunity for the PSC team to battle against different team. Friendship Day. ” to be able to represent our country through sports. that she has been part of the agency for 27 years, stepping As the Commission’s representative in basketball tour- In times there is the need to fill up the absence up for the call to lead the Division is not a problem for her. naments, it is truly significant for them to also fight and of the Chief of Division, she has been designated as experience different playing style and tactics in basket- Officer-In-Charge of the Program Research and De- Dumuk is now supervising different offices- un ball. He also added that “It was an honour for me and for velopment Division for several times. Presently she is der her division. First, is the NSA Affairs Office headed the team to have this kind of opportunity to play with in- designated as the Acting Chief of the said Division. by Mr. Teresito Fortaleza, Jr. which is in charge of the ternational players and to be one of the country’s repre- facilitation and coordination of the needs of all the ac- sentative during the Filipino-Chinese Friendship Day”. Ms. Alona is currently in charge to several credited and recognized National Sports Associations projects like the “Laro’t Saya sa Parke”, a program in relation to the needs of their respective sports pro- It was also a success for the Table Tennis event, that aims to encourage the community to engage grams like requests for financial assistance, foreign the PSC athletes bagged the 2nd, 3rd and 4th place in to sports during weekends with activities such as competitions, trainings, seminars, uniforms, request Singles event. Wherein players played in a profession- Zumba, Chess, Badminton, etc. Local government from for duty exemptions for sports equipment purchased al sporting environment, fully air-conditioned and Manila, Quezon City and San Juan City are the common by NSAs, proposed annual budget and programs, ath- fully equipped venue. Ms. Edna De los Reyes, singles letes and coaches’ line-ups, changes in the line-ups of Acting Chief of Program Research and Development Division Ms. Gloria D. Quintos event 2nd placer, told me that it was her first time to athletes and coaches (including upgrading and down-

8 April - June 2017 | PSC NEWSMAGAZINE April - June 2017 | PSC NEWSMAGAZINE 9 Sports Laro’t saya sa icon IN FOCUS parke ng Negros by ABIGAIL MARIE V. RIVERA Japoy Lizardo The third weekend of June was a busy one for the Phil- gathered at the City Hall Grounds for the open- ippine Sports Commission as it ensured the re-launch- ing program which was graced by Commission- ing of Laro’t Saya sa Parke (also previously known as er Fernandez, Executive Director Carlo Abarquez, by YVETTE C. TORMON Play and Learn: Sports for Free) for the year 2017 in and San Carlos City Mayor Gerardo Valmayor, Jr. three cities within the Region (NIR). Of the 336 participants, 137 were male A five-man PSC contingent led by Commission- and 199 were female. Twenty-five percent (25%) of er Ramon Fernandez travelled across the island on June the participants were aged 15 years old and below. 16-19 to supervise the successful opening of the said pro- Born into a family with deep Manileño roots, do your natural talent comes out. Also follow and gram in San Carlos City, Dumaguete City, and Sipalay City. Laro’t Saya in San Carlos City offers John Paul Lizardo or “Japoy” to family and friends grew up A: Daily training is tiresome. As an athlete, the pressure on you obey your parents because everything starts at home. on-site coaching and games for Arnis, Badmin- in Fairview in the heart of Quezon City he still calls home. is gone right after the game. As a coach, the pressure never stops. As a community-based program under the PSC’s ton, Chess, Dance Fitness, Football, Futsal, Muay, Sports-for-All agenda, Laro’t Saya sa Parke encourages Sepak Takraw, Table Tennis, , and In- For more than a decade he spent his childhood play- Q: What is the ideal age to start training in maximum participation in sports among the greatest door Volleyball every Saturday at 5:30 to 8:30 am. ing basketball. Sports has been a long time inter- Taekwondo? number of . Aside from providing accessibility est of Japoy’s ever since he started in Taekwondo. “My dad influenced me in so many ways especially in A: For me it is best to train a person in Taekwondo at six ***** ball, Boxing, Chess, Dance Fitness, Frisbee, Run- sports. He taught me how to swim and play basketball,” years old. This is the time where a child can understand the in- ning, Sepak Takraw, Table Tennis, and Taekwondo. Dumaguete City, the capital of Negros Ori- Japoy enthusiastically recalled. “He was my first coach.” structions given to them. As they said, train up a child early . . .

ental province, staged its Laro’t Saya sa ***** Parke launch at 4:00 pm on the same day. Japoy gamely answered questions without hesitations. Q: How long is the “shelf life” of Taekwondo athletes? Commissioner Fernandez, who represent- The launch at Quezon Park was led by ed Chairman William “Butch” Ramirez during the La- What keeps you busy now? A: It depends on the player’s endurance. In the case of City Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo and Council- ro’t Saya sa Parke re-launches within the NIR, was Q: the Philippine Taekwondo athletes, 10 years is already or Michael Bandal, with Commissioner Fernan- delighted with the Negrenses’ enthusiasm in wel- I start my day coaching and training Taekwondo Var- good. I started Taekwondo at the age of 11. I used to be a TAEKWONDO dez and Executive Director Abarquez as guests. coming the program anew in their hometowns. A: sity students (ages 17-21 years old) from De La Salle Uni- varsity player in elementary until high school at Diliman COACH versity and College of St. Benilde. It’s a combined training Preparatory School. I am fond of watching action movies. There were 222 registered partici- “We really have to bring sports closer to more of DLSU and CSB at the DLSU Sports Complex. Training The Karate Kid has had a great influence in my life which pants during the launch, of which 114 were male Filipinos in the grassroots level, and be more visible of the National Team starts at 9:00 AM till 11:00 AM. I make made me switch from basketball to Martial Arts, specifical- and 108 were female. Forty-five percent (45%) of as the lead government agency for sports. Laro’t Saya it a point to have lunch at home with my wife. I am also able ly Taekwondo. We are all black belters in the family (my the participants were aged 15 years old and below. sa Parke is one of the programs that will allow the PSC to see and play with my 3 month old baby Jace (Jace is a dad, brother and sister). Taekwondo has paved the way Laro’t Saya in Dumaguete City is held every Saturday at to regularly touch base with the masses,” he enthused. 5:30 to 8:30 am and features coaching and playing ses- combination of Japoy and Janice’s names). My afternoons for me to land a full scholarship in De La Salle Univer- are mostly spent with TV guestings and commercial shoots. sity all throughout my college finishing a degree in Sports towards sports by various sectors of Philippine society, it sions for Arnis, Chess, Dance Fitness, Football, Fris- LGUs interested in bringing Laro’t I am back at the Central gym before my 6:00 PM train- Science. My life as an athlete continued while I had my emphasizes the importance of the grassroots and its role bee, Karatedo, Sepak Takraw, Tai-Chi, and Taekwondo. Saya sa Parke to their constituencies ing with the Philippine Team which ends up at 8:00 PM. Masters in Business Administration at the Interna- in the continuous development of sports in the country. may request to avail of the program My wife and I have our own Taekwondo gym at tional Academy for Management and Economics. ***** through send- ing a for- mal request the Celebrity Sports Plaza in Quezon City where Laro’t Saya sa Parke’s LGU-beneficiaries out- addressed to Chairman Ramirez. side are chosen among those who for- Sipalay City, a fourth-class compo- we train kids at an early age of 6 up to the teens. Q: How’s your family? Do you want mally signify interest in the program. Once the LGU nent city in known for its pris- your kids to be on the future submits its proposed location (preferably its main park tine and well-maintained beaches, opened its Laro’t Q: How different is coaching from being a com athletes? or plaza wherein constituents gather regularly) for in- Saya program for the year on June 18th at 4:00 pm. petitive athlete? spection and approval by the PSC, a Memorandum of A: Yes. Any Martial Art will do, Agreement (MOA) is forged between both parties. The The city’s main bay front was the venue for A: Coaching is more on mental and physical condi- but I’ll support them whatever path LGU is in charge of local coaches and trainers who will 389 registered participants to witness that after- tioning. One has to make good training program for the they choose. As parents, we will just handle the weekly sessions, while the PSC will pro- noon’s opening program with Commissioner Fer- players. Alagaan mo sila at kamustahin. This is especially be there to guide and lead them. vide funding for those coaches and trainers’ allow- nandez and City Vice Mayor Maria Gina Lizares. when you’re in an international competition. As an athlete, ances. The PSC monitors Laro’t Saya sa Parke’s con- you only have to play, compete and after the game that’s it! Q: How has sports changed duct in cooperation with the LGU through the latter’s There were 259 male and 130 female par- your life? weekly reports on the program within its jurisdiction. ticipants present during the launch at Sipal- Q: Who’s your favorite athlete? ay City. Forty-five percent (45%) of the par- A: I became more responsi- ***** ticipants were aged 15 years old and below. A: My favorite athlete right now is Steph Curry. ble, disciplined. I also got to ap- Though small and thin, he doesn’t let that get in the way. ply all the values that I’ve learned in sports in real life. San Carlos City, a second-class component Laro’t Saya in Sipalay City is staged He just plays his heart out every game and acknowledg- city in north-eastern Negros Occidental, was the first every Saturday at 5:30 to 8:30 am. The City es God every game and every shot, doing it for His glory. Q: What advice can you give to aspiring athletes? to launch Laro’t Saya sa Parke on June 17th at 6:00 am. Bay Front provides a unique atmosphere for coaching and playing sessions for Q: Can you compare the feeling of competing as A: Just enjoy what you do, find your passion and A total of 336 registered participants Badminton, Basketball, Beach Volley- an athlete and as a coach? the sport you really like because if you enjoy what you

10 April - June 2017 | PSC NEWSMAGAZINE April - June 2017 | PSC NEWSMAGAZINE 11 SPORTS IN A TIME OF CONFLICT: the Marawi experience by ALLAN M. GATCHALIAN

PRE-EVENT: The night before, Agulan with her roommates 11:30PM. was the site of a military operation designed to weed- Balo-i, Lanao del Sur because we were already out the As an educator from Mindanao State were already sleeping at the quarters provided They knew things turned for the worse when electricity out the Maute Group from their base in Lanao del Sur. danger zone,” he recollected. He was thankful for one University (MSU) Marawi City Cam- to them at the Provincial Capitol when they were in the whole city was cut-off. The terrain in Piagapo is a pass, which is a perfect CSPEAR-MSU faculty member—Abdulrashid Lucman— pus, Prof. Henry Daut was all woken up by loud explosions. At first they got place for staging an ambush for unsuspecting passers- who never left them and was with them to the very end insistent on having at least one Philippine afraid but upon seeing at the window that it was Track and field icon Elma Muros-Posadas, who by. More than that, this is a place where locals believe of their journey and always gave them moral support. “ just “fireworks” they all returned to sleep. There was one of the resource persons, approached Lorico and Sports Institute (PSI) program there. Nag-isip din kami sa sarili namin. kidnap victims were brought never to be seen again. was nothing to worry about, and so they thought. told her she has something to show her. They went out to He also noticed that the professor will He told all those who will be the garden up a flight of stairs of an unfinished building, “Talagang dasal na lang wala ka nang mahi- just identify them as from the Philippine Sports assigned in PSI project that they will Fireworks araw na araw? At daytime, Agulan thought something was odd. leading to a second floor landing. There she saw the only hingan ng tulong kung hindi Diyos na lang,” Mane- Commission and the checkpoint personnel will try to visit some of the beautiful plac- light glowing in the city. It was the city jail up in flames. clang said, “Tinitingnan namin yung mga naglalakad just allow them to pass without any inspection. es in Marawi City and nearby areas like Kaya nakikiramdam “Nagisip din kami sa sarili namin. Fire- na tao, talagang kawawa, yung iba matatanda na, yung the Lake Lanao, Cultural Heritage of works araw na araw? Kaya nakikiramdam kami “Nang makita ko yung nasusunog ang pu- paa masakit na, kasi ang layo na nang nilakad nila.” This instruction was laid down by a man many ki- Maranao, and the City market when sa paligid namin. After a while medyo nataran- masok sa isipan ko totoong gyera na ito, hin- lometers away. This was the work of Ronnel Abren- they finished the consultative meet- kami sa paligid namin. ta yung bantay namin na pulis at isang sunda- di na ito engkwento lamang,” Posadas confessed. PAST NOON. ica who received instructions from Chairman Ramirez to ing and sports clinic. A courtesy call lo, sabay yung dalawa nagsakayan tapos umalis Paul Ignacio felt the same grief as he saw people of all ages extract the contingent and bring them out of harm’s way. with the Lanao del Sur Governor and sa venue. So sinabi namin, iba na ito,” she said. 24 MAY/ PAST MIDNIGHT. in an exodus in the pouring rain. Suddenly his feeling of the City Mayor was also in the agenda. After a while medyo While Lorico was away, the group received a call from PSC dread that he was in this mess instead of his safe table in the FLASHBACK 24 HOURS EARLIER. MAY 23/ 3PM. Chairman William Ramirez who talked to some members of Accounting Office of PSC was replaced by pity and sorrow. Abrenica had a different agenda for staying in Davao City For this leg of the PSI program, nataranta yung bantay Professor Daut told everybody to pack up and the contingent. Atty. Maribel Rodriguez recalled the Chair- after attending a PSC-led meeting there. All his daugh- the professor handpicked national bad- be ready to leave. “Doon na namin naram- man told them to be ready, pack light, and leave anytime. “Pag nakita niyo yung mga taong naglalakad ters happened to have a dance recital and he wanted to minton coach Arolas “Bogs” Amahit daman na may ibang nangyayari, tapos yung maaawa ka, kasi yung iba nga may mga baby pa. Tapos surprise them and his wife who asked him to be there to be one of the resource speakers during namin na pulis at mga putok wala nang tigil,” Agulan said. “Hindi kami natutulog, sabi nila nakahi- umuulan, makikita mo may mga baby. Syempre tulad ko during their performance. But this will never materialize. the PSI-led program in Marawi City. ga lang sila di sila nakakatulog, maiidlip ka tapos maya may anak akong baby na maliit pa. Nang makita ko awang- As things started to look dire, all the girls were maya maririnig mo yung sunod–sunod na putok. Ta- awa ako. Kulang na lang sabihin ko pwede ko bang papa- Since his family did not know that he was in “I wanted him (Ama- isang sundalo, tapos yung advised to wear a kombong (female Muslim head- pos tinitignan namin yung gamit na dadalin dahil sabi sukin yun dito? Sabay na natin, kasi umuulan, basang-basa Davao City, it provided him an opportunity to keep them hit) to be a source of inspira- dress) and kopiah (a cap for Muslim men) for the guys ni Chairman konti lang daw eh,” Atty. Rodriguez said. talaga sila, medyo malakas ang ulan,” Ignacio recounted. from worrying about him as he was about to execute tion for the locals,” Daut said. dalawa nagsakayan in an effort to hide everybody from undue attention. the “extraction plan” as given to him by the PSC Chief. PAST 6AM. He remembered someone from their For Amahit, being assigned Each one of the contingent received these items The following morning, the group woke up with the group asking some guarantee from the soldiers that The 45-year-old Senior Executive Assistant to in Marawi City is a chance to return to sabay umalis sa venue. as a gift the night before during a courtesy call thundering noise of truck engines passing by their hos- they are taking a safe path outside Marawi City. the Chairman wasted no time. He immediately contact- the place where he spent a big chunk of with Marawi City Mayor Jamul Usman Gandamra. tel. Aboard the military trucks and armoured personnel ed some friends from the military to advise him which his childhood. An offspring of two ed- It was prudent to wear them after the professor carriers (APC) were fully armed soldiers geared for battle. “Tinanong yung militar kung safe yung dada- best route to take, when the team should leave MSU, and ucators from MSU Marawi City cam- So sinabi namin, iba na ito... received messages that they ought to be careful as anan namin (sa Piagapo) ang sagot nila di sila sure kung more importantly, how to monitor their every move. pus, he believed it was an opportu- they are part of the Office of the President. They “Sa TV ko lang nakikita to. Grabe talaga du- safe. Sumabay na lang kami sa agos ng tao, para hin- nity and privilege to give back to the would be valuable hostages for the Maute Group. madaan lang sila sa harap namin, kumakaway kami di kami makilala, mahirap pa kung may escort kami, He had close coordination with Prof. Daut. He community where he was brought up. akala namin matatapos na,” the lady lawyer said. mas maganda pa kung normal lang,” Ignacio said. instructed them to take the road going to the province of 4PM. Cotabato that will lead them to Davao City. However, the Growing up in Marawi City, he Lorna Lorico remembered that there was a heli- 8AM. Gerry Maneclang, one of PSC’s venue man- PAST 4PM. contingent went north going to Iligan City on to Cagayan de said hearing gunshots is a normal occur- copter flying overhead as they were going from agers, recalled they were advised that by “hook Table tennis coach Jose Nicolas Cawed noticed that the check Oro to wait for their scheduled flight to Manila on May 24. rence. Should more than few shots per- the track & field oval to their hostel inside MSU or crook” they need to leave MSU that morning. points were getting less strict as they got nearer Iligan City. Abrenica already talked with a military official who will sisted, the residents have sort of a panic MAY 23/ 2PM. “ where they opted to stay early that morning. guide them from Cotobato to Davao City, but the situa room where all the family members stayed and waited out Pangilinan was in charge of documenting the They need to cross Pantar Bridge. They “We already felt relieved when we reached tion on the ground made the contingent take the route to until dawn. In the morning, everything is back to normal. event. She was out in the field taking pictures Upon their return there, they were greeted by the were told that if this site falls in the control of continue to page 22... and video when she saw their armed escorts leave former dean of College of Sports, Physical Education and the extremists, they will be trapped inside Mara- “I’m so excited kasi makikita yung lugar kung their post and went out the campus in a hurry. Recreation (CSPEAR) in MSU, Henrietta Hoffer-Ele. Fond- wi City. It was the only way out beside the backdoor saan ako lumaki, makikita ko yung improvement, yung ly called Mommy Henny, she assured them that there was which was more dangerous, and truly not an option. mga changes,” Amahit said before their departure. Seeing from afar that the badminton clinic was nothing to worry about. She kept on saying her place is safe, still in full swing, Pangilinan went about her duty docu- and they have a stockpile of food that can last for months. In a van from MSU, Maneclang was with Prof. Henry Daut. MAY 21/PAST 10AM. menting until two familiar men told her that the clinic In stark contrast, Keren Pangilinan, 22, the youngest mem- was suspended. She packed up and joined the PSI team. Lorico could not recall what they ate that night. She “Ako yung nasa bukana kasi ayaw dun pu- ber of the PSI contingent, was very reluctant to join the said sleep deprivation made her lose track of many things. muwesto ng iba, sa may pintuan ayaw nila. Kasi project in Mindanao. “Ayaw ako pasamahin ng parents ko 1 “Literally, wala akong tulog buong magdamag. Naka-im- alam mo na, pagbukas ikaw ang unang makuku- pero sabi ko required eh. Hindi na ako pwedeng palitan,” Disbursing officer Elizabeth Agulan was just inside the pake na yung aming mga gamit, nakaupo kami sa kama ha, kaya ang gusto ng iba puro gitna,” he recounted. Pangilinan said. It was to be her first time in Mindanao. faculty room near the MSU track oval when she learned at dinig na dinig namin yung putukan, yung sagutan that their police and military escorts said goodbye in talaga ng putok, tahimik na tahimik tapos pag tatahol PAST 8:30AM. She recalled that there was nothing ex- a hurry and said they will be reassigned elsewhere. yung alagang aso, mag-duck na ako, at tapos ayaw kong Going out the campus, they saw their armed escorts along traordinary when they landed in Cagayan de Oro. huminga, kasi ang feeling ko pag narandaman na may the patch of dirty road and incomplete paved street. This was The only thing that caught her curiosity was see- This was after hearing gunshot tao sa bahay baka pasukin kami at patayin kami,” Lo- another way out of MSU, which was considered the backdoor. ing an armed escort from the military and po- noise. “Sabi ng faculty wala iyon ma’am mer- rico said recounting the nightmare she went through. lice. Besides this, everything else seemed normal. on lang na nagpa-fireworks,” Agulan said. It is called Piagapo. This area has an infa- 2 mous reputation among the locals. A month before, this

12 April - June 2017 | PSC NEWSMAGAZINE April - June 2017 | PSC NEWSMAGAZINE 13 PSC In The Community at a young age and how it can be utilized in order to better go on to compete in the 29th Southeast Asian Games in propel themselves to good opportunities in the future. Kuala Lumpur. The PSC Summer Sports Clinic has been instrumental in Starting the discovery of numerous talents. Among them is Sarah This year, the clinics offered were Swimming Joy Barredo, daughter of PSC employee Teresita Barredo (taught by Mr. Tani Gomez, National Team Captain for and National Athlete for Badminton, who joined in 2006. Water Polo), Taekwondo (taught by Ma. Nelia Sy-Yca- She later became a varsity athlete in elementary school- sas, Former National Athlete for Taekwondo), Basketball them young being sent to compete in Palarong Pambansa, Batang (taught by Ulysses Rodriguez, Former PBA Player), and in Sports Pinoy and Philippine National Games. This year, she will Badminton (taught by Coach Arolas Amahit, Jr.). by LEDDA MARIE R. TUAZON Training the Trainers,

In recognition of the vital role of the youth in nation-build- ing and in line with its responsibility to promote, encour- age and sustain the development of sports in the country, the SMART ID way the Philippine Sports Commission recently held the PSC by JOASH DAVID L. RICANOR Summer Sports Clinic for PSC Dependents last May 9-31, 2017 at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex. Leadership styles come in many ways, but as for the Philippine power of athletes. The PSC Summer Sports Clinic is an annual Sports Commission, there’s no better way to do it than to teach event open to children ages four to eighteen who are re- the leaders themselves. PSC Chairman William Ramirez expressed the im- lated to PSC employees. For over fourteen years, it has portance of the system in fulfilling President Rodrigo Dute- played an important part in the Agency’s fulfilment of its That same strategy was proven through 380 MAPEH “ Training the rte’s command to spread sports across the archipelago and task to foster physical fitness self-discipline, teamwork teachers, sports practitioners and students from the city of find fresh talents from in and out of school youths as well as and excellence by providing the children with an easily Puerto Princesa in Palawan who took part in the Sports Map- indigenous people. accessible avenue for sports. It is held within the Rizal ping Action Research Talent Identification last May 2 to 5, 2017. trainers is one of the Memorial Sports Complex grounds during the summer “Training the trainers is one of the PSC’s main thrust The SMART ID is a database system spearheaded by in order to have a more wholistic grassroots sports develop- season so as to open PSC’s gates to the children of their the agency’s Philippine Sports Institute which gathers the pro- ment in the country,” said the agency chief. employees and bridge them closer both to sports and PSC’s main thrust file and attributes of athletes, which will then be used by the their individual families. assembled as a part of a simulated earthquake drill. Commission and the PSI in spotting possible elite athletes for The SMART ID “Train the Trainers” program will PSC joins the country. in order to also visit Laoag City in Ilocos Norte and City for the suc- The clinic allows for the integration of import- They were joined by other private offices and ceeding legs of the program. ant values learned through sports such as discipline, the barangay in the historic baseball field. Barangay PSC Commissioner Ramon Fernandez bared that the cooperation, perseverance and respect for authority. It National staffs even staged a mock emergency case where some- system is “not just a database but a system that requires sci- entific process,” as it also plays a vital role in placing young have a more bridges the gap between parents and children by show- one injured was being treated and rushed to a hospital. ing them the sporting environment and the significance athletes in their fitted sports. of sports by way of demonstrating its relevance and like- Simultaneous The National Disaster Risk Reduction and For four days, trainers were introduced to the pro- wholistic grassroots wise, the gravity of their parents’ involvement in it. The Management Council (NDRRMC) spearheaded the tocol of SMART ID and got their first-hand experience on the participants are shown the benefits of a sporting culture Earthquake drill to help prepare the public should the Big One program’s two fundamental schemes - anthropometric testing hit the country. The drill is usually simulated in and performance testing. sports development the late part of June as it did in the previous years. Drill (NSED), The Anthropometric Testing, includes measuring the arm and wing span, standing and sitting height and weight. in the country ” June 29 Performance Testing gauges the endurance, agility, speed and by ALLAN GATCHALIAN

The Philippine Sports Commis- sion (PSC) joined the National Simultaneous Earthquake Drill (NSED) held last 29 June 2017. At the strike of 2pm, emergency sirens blared promp PSC employees of the left their re- spective offices and went to the field area Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium where they PSC employees left their offices to join the National Simultaneous Earthquake Drill (NSED). (Photo by Allan Gatchalian)

14 April - June 2017 | PSC NEWSMAGAZINE April - June 2017 | PSC NEWSMAGAZINE 15 Sports IN FOCUS

KARATEDOby CHARIZA FE V. DE VERA

Growing up as a kid, Karate is one of the few things that come up my mind whenever I hear the word “martial arts”. It originated in the is- land of Okinawa in japan where Okinawans developed strong hand fighting as a way to defend themselves without the traditional weapons. It is widely known as an art and as a combat sport. There are also no doubts that it is used as a training for self-defense, as it involves learn- PSC SETS COURSE ing several techniques by using the hands, legs, fingers, feet and palm. by JIO SANTINO F. DESLATE Going beyond, sports karate places emphasis on exercise and competiton. Its training is commonly divided into Kihon (ba- Nine months after the assumption of the new PSC sports accessible to all Filipinos,” said Chairman Ramirez. sics or fundamentals), Kata (forms) and Kumite (sparring). Kihon Board of Commissioners, the agency held a di- Afterwards, the fa- are simple techniques that are taught and practiced as the founda- rectional meeting to course PSC’s path and clar- Invoking the call of President Rodrigo Roa “ We must cilitators gave their tion of most Japanese martial arts. Its practice and mastery is vital ify the roles of each office in the coming years. Duterte for unity in sports, Chairman Ramirez fur- thoughts on the overall to all advanced training, including the practice of correct body form ther urged the agency to work closely togeth- make sports impact of the meeting. and breathing. On the other hand, Kata is the formalized sequence The PSC Directional Meeting was held last April er with Local Government Units across the coun- of movements which represent various offensive and defensive pos- 18-20 at the Hotel Benilde, Manila City. Chairman William try in promoting a grassroots sports culture. accessible “The strategic plan that tures, based on idealized combat applications. Lastly, Kumite literally I. Ramirez, Commissioners Ramon S. Fernandez, Celia H. was crafted with the par- means “meeting of hands”. Practiced both as a sport and as a self-de- Kiram, Arnold G. Agustin, and Charles Raymond A. Maxey, The commissioners and representatives of each ticipation of PSC admin- fense training, it has various variants depending on levels of physi- together with representatives of each office, partook in a office, on their part, presented their respective plans, to all istrators and managers is cal contact during sparring. In sport Kumite, points are awarded by two-and-half-day meeting that featured interactive pre- sharing concerns, updates, goals and objectives with a roadmap for the trans- a referee and is structured with light contact. While knockdown Ka- sentations and collaborative activities for the participants. the entire agency. Chairman and the facilitators provid- Filipinos.” formation of PSC from rate uses full power techniques to bring the opponent to the ground. ed feedback in an interactive Q&A with the presenters. a singular office located Researchers and educators from various insti- in Manila to a government agency that branches out to As a sport or a martial art, Karate has a lot to offer. Since it requires tutions facilitated the meeting. The group was composed The second day of the meeting saw the group- the different regions, provinces, and cities whose pro- various physical exercise methods to do, it helps the Karetkas (people of Dr. Serge Opeña, Assistant Dean of St. Alphonsus Theo- ing of the different offices into four clusters. Each was gram is connected to the barangay level,” said Dr. Opeña. who practice Karate) improve his strength and stamina (as it works both logical and Mission Institute (Davao City); Dr. Rose Fuen- assigned with specific concerns to address with their upper and lower body which toughen the muscle), control his weight and tes, president of the Southeast Asian Interdisciplinary respective plans and programs. The groups incorporat- He added that if the impact of PSC can be felt improve his blood circulation that helps in improving the physical and Institute (SAIDI); Dr. Gemima Valderrama, head of Public ed the roles and responsibilities of the various offices, throughout the barangays, by 2022, PSC and the national mental health. Being a Karetkas, one must also practice serious mind Affairs of the Department of Education in Davao City, and following the ABCD model provided by the facilitators. sports program will be considered as important as educa- set, humble mind and behaviour, calmness and of course, discipline. Mass Communication professor at the Ateneo de Davao tion, healthy, and community development in the country. University; and Mr. Ed Fernandez, part-time faculty at The Board of Commissioners, together with Just as what Teruyuki Okazaki, Chairman and Chief of the In- the Ateneo de Davao University Department of Theology. Executive Director Atty. Carlo E. Abarquez and Senior Following the two-and-a-half-day meeting, a ternational Shotokan karate Foundation, said, “Karate practitioners and Executive Assistant Mr. Ronnel O. Abrenica wrapped up one-on-one meeting between the facilitators and the other martial artists must know that the martial arts are about more Chairman Ramirez opened the first day by call- the directional meeting with their final comments, rec- heads of each office was held in the conference room of than physical development, self-defense, and competition: most impor- ing for a renewed focus on grassroots sports development. ommendations, and words of appreciation for the facil- the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex to create the account- tantly, they are about continually striving to perfect one’s character.” itators and the entire PSC staff. The Philippine Sports ability we discussed regarding the 18 programs that were “The mandate of the PSC is to create that com- Institute, likewise, presented their plan for the com- designed and presented in the PSC Directional Meeting. munity sports up to the barangay level. We must make ing years in light of the developments in the meeting.

BOC with researcher-facilitators | Chairman Ramirez raises points | Second day meeting | BOC discusses PSC plans | PHOTO CREDITS: Patrick Segovia (http://multisport.ph/2017/10/karate-james-delos-santos-sea-games/) PHOTO CREDITS: Erel Cabatbat (twitter: @relcabatbat)

16 April - June 2017 | PSC NEWSMAGAZINE April - June 2017 | PSC NEWSMAGAZINE 17 1st Ifugao Tribal “ We wanted to expose our PSC Games held traditional games by KARLO PAOLO R. PATES to the world. We are Supports thankful that the PSC PRE-AIMAG made it possible.” by AIZABELLE ROSE R. TERRADO

AIMAG Chef de Mission Congressman Monsour del Rosario delivering his welcome message during the opening of the Pre-AIMAG event. Looking on are officials of the PSC and POC, led by PSC Commissioner Celia Kiram and POC President Jose Cojuangco

try in the 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in ganized by the PSC and the Philippine Olympic Commit- Ashgabat, Turkmenistan which will be held Septem- tee. We also asked them to give us their credentials to see ber 17 to 27 particularly in the five sports mentioned. whether they deserve to represent the country. This gives “ The purpose of us the opportunity to promote non-traditional sports while “The purpose of this event is to find the also ensuring the quality of our contingent,” Reyes said. best athletes who will play in those other martial arts An akkad relay player in action. PETER ATENCIO PHOTO this event is to find sports who can deliver medals for the Philippines,” Deputy Chef-de-mission Raymund Lee Reyes said. LAGAWE, Ifugao province – Close to 450 elementary and Philippine Sports Commissioners Celia Hi- the best athletes secondary boys and girls students joined the first Phil- carte-Kiram, who oversights the GAD, and Charles Ray- The PSC’s assistance to the Pre-AIMAG re- ippine Sports Commission Gender and Development mond A. Maxey, who oversights the Indigenous Games, affirmed its intention to support other sports that (GAD) Indigenous Games held here on June 23 and 24. believed that conducting sports programs that center on who will play in those are still trying to find its place in Philippine sports. women and Indigenous Peoples (IPs) promotes equality, With a theme, “Our Indigenous Sports, Our a mandate that President Rodrigo Duterte wanted PSC “The PSC recognizes the need to sup- Heritage”, the two-day event had students compete in to implement which is “to make sports accessible to all” other martial arts port the Pre-AIMAG event in order to build aware- Ethnic Ifugao sports that include Bangngunan (leg wres- ness in other sports in line with President Duterte’s tling), Bultung, Hanggul, Hinnukting (shoulder wres- Participating schools include Boliwong Elemen- sports who can aim to make sports accessible to every Filipino peo- tling), Ug-gub, Munbayu, Ab-abba, Akkad (stilt walking), tary School, Burnay Elementary School, Caba Elementa- ple,” PSC Chairman William “Butch” Ramirez said. Guyyudan (tug-of-war), Kadang-kadang, Labba race, Ba- ry School, Caba Elementary School, Cudog Elementary tawel Relay (rice-stalk relay race), and Marathon relay. School, Lagawe Central School, Tungngod Elementary deliver medals for the Reyes was appreciative about the help School, Ayangan National Vocational and Agricultur- A gyyudan player in action. KRP PHOTO the PSC provided to the Pre-AIMAG event which The Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games will have 21 al High School, Boliwong National High School, Caba will also spur development among the non-tra- sports - 3-on-3 basketball, indoor athletics, bowling, National High School, Don Bosco High School, Kian- “We can conduct these Ifugao tradition- Philippines. ” ditional sports who has yet to have a specific na- chess, track cycling, cue sports, dancesports, eques- gan National High School, Riverview Polytechnic High al games regularly,” Kiram said. “We are delight- tional sports associations (NSAs) in the country. trian, futsal, ju-jitsu, kickboxing, kurash, muay, sam- School, and Southern Highyon National High School. ed by the response of our children. They real- bo, short course swimming, taekwondo, indoor tennis, ly seemed to enjoy it and encourages them to have a “Our program is to get the best athlete possible. weightlifting, wrestling, belt wrestling, and traditional Mayam-o expressed his grattitude to Com- healthy lifestyle instead of just focusing on gadgets.” THE Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) showed its In this case, the sport doesn’t h a v e wrestling. E-sports will also be played in the Asian In- missioners Kiram and Maxey and to PSC for extend- full support in the promotion of non-traditional sports an NSA here door and Martial Arts Games as a demonstration event. ing its help for the 1st Ifugao Indigenous Sports Day. Maxey, meanwhile, under- through the Philippine Pre-Asian Indoor and Mar- in the Philip- scored the importance of this activity. tial Arts Games held recently at the Harrison Plaza. pines. We helped Chef de mission and representative “We wanted to expose our tradi- them to qualify Congressman Monsour del Rosario is hopeful the Pre- tional games to the world. We are thank- “This is the preservation of heritage and The government’s sports arm provid- through AIMAG athletes will be a medal source that will boost ful that the PSC made it possible,” Mayam-o said. cultures of the Indigenous Peoples,” he added. ed financial and technical support to the Pre-AIMAG this the country’s campaign in the said multi-sports event. PSC officials led by Sports Commissioners Celia Hicarte-kiram event which had five sports in sambo, belt wres- and Charles Raymond Maxey, and PSI deputy director Prof. With participants gaining greater ap- All winners in the individual and team events tling, traditional wrestling, kurash, and kick boxing. Henry Daut met with Ifugao Governor Pedro G. Mayam-o earlier “For the athletes, the important thing is preciation for their rich traditional and cultur- pocketed cash prizes and medals courtesy of PSC. they do their best, pray, and train hard. We, as offi- inside his office at the Provincial Capitol here in the Capital town of Lagawe, Ifugao province in connection with the staging of the al sports heritage, Kiram said she intends to ex- The aim of the event is to aid in the selec- cials, will also do our best to help our athletes. We 1st Ifugao Indigenous Games. KRP PHOTO pose the traditional sports games in other areas. Lagawe Mayor Martin L. Habaw- tion process of athletes who shall represent the coun- event or- thank the PSC for their support” del Rosario said. el, Jr. also supported the activity of the province.

18 April - June 2017 | PSC NEWSMAGAZINE April - June 2017 | PSC NEWSMAGAZINE 19 STRENGTHENING by JIO SANTINO F. DESLATETeam Spirit A team building activity brings people together to get re- The Red and Violet teams were led by Commissioners Ra- sults. This was the reason why the PSC Board of Commission- mon Fernandez and Arnold Agustin respectively, alongside their of the games showcased the team spirit and creativity of each team. ers, along with the entire PSC staff, gathered last May 19 to 20 in Cali- co-captains Rachel Dumuk and Rolando Jose. Commissioner Charles raya Resorts, Laguna to bond together and boost team’s performance. Raymond Maxey, together with Paul Ycasas, led the Green team. After a fun afternoon, staff and board members alike gathered for a fel- The event featured an Amazing Race type of activi- lowship night where they shared fond memories of working in PSC over dinner. ty, inspiring speeches from the board, and a fellowship session. The race comprised eight legs, each more challenging than the previous one, that showcased the talent and skills of every team member. The Blue team of Chairman Ramirez emerged as overall champion. PSC Teambuilding Committee point person Ms. Anna Christine Abella- Chairman Ramirez, whose 67th birthday coincid- na said the teambuilding’s goal was to develop good working relation- The rock climbing event exhibited the athleticism of the younger staff ed with the event, spoke briefly to address the PSC family. ships among the staff and foster a positive team culture in the agency. while highlighting the patience and persistence of the more senior officers. “Today’s my birthday and my personal wish is for PSC to “We want to establish the role of a leader in building a team and mo- The puzzle forming activity called for coordina- unite for the sake of Philippine sports and that we dedicate our ef- tivating team members. This will result in improved team pro- tion among the team members, with one group tasked with look- forts to ensure its development,” the 67-year-old Chairman said. ductivity and better communication in the office,” she elaborated. ing for the puzzle pieces and another with assembling them. For the staff, the teambuilding was a wel- Members of the Board and representatives of of- The canoe-relay required perfect synchroniza- come break from work and an opportunity to reenergize. fices led their respective teams in the Amazing Race under- tion from the team, testing the leadership skills of the team cap- scoring the spirit of collaboration promoted by the agency. tains and the ability of its members to correctly follow instructions. “It was definitely a breather from work for everyone. This kind of ac- tivity motivates our staff to keep their performance up,” Abellana said, “For Chairman William Ramirez himself, along with Teresito For- The rest of the race featured events such as Slip and Slide, future teambuilding activities, planning ahead is es- sential for taleza, Jr., led the Blue team throughout the race. Meanwhile, Commis- Mudslide, Wall-climbing, Swimming, Unity Walk, Puzzle Forming, success. I hope to see the event included in the agency’s sioner Celia Kiram, together with Gloria Quintos, led the Orange team. and the Obstacle Course. A group cheering competition at the start yearly calendar for the staff to look forward to.”

20 April - June 2017 | PSC NEWSMAGAZINE April - June 2017 | PSC NEWSMAGAZINE 21 and Maintenance Division that undertakes the mainte- SPORTS IN A nance of all buildings, grounds and venues/facilities of the agency, conduct a periodic ocular inspection and prepare TIME OF reports on the status of repairs, refurbishing and mainte- nance of all buildings, grounds and venues/facilities and CONFLICT: provide a copy thereof to the Engineering and Mainte- nance Section, and assign Venue Managers to the various the Marawi venues and sports facilities of the Agency. Before being experience designated as acting chief of SFD, Mr. Many had already been designated as head of different ofices of the agency. from page 13... “I have been in the Commission for so many years now. In those years of service, I was assigned in different PSC offices and worked in different capacities. What I consider as my greatest achievement not only in to Iligan City. He then arranged for a single van to PSC but in working for the government in general, is be- drive him to Cagayan de Oro City as the team was STARTING THEM YOUNG IN SPORTS ing able to rose from the ranks, climbing a career ladder leaving Marawi City. from page 9.... from being a Clerk, a contractual employee to now, hold- Three hundred and twenty five participants across the ing a plantilla position of a Division Chief. It is indeed a “Every message I received along the way to four sports joined the program. Swimming had the most feat that I am proud to share to my colleagues and to the Cagayan de Oro City was a relief for me. Every mes- number of signups reaching up to two hundred which new ones entering the government service,” said Bitog. sage means they safely passed one checkpoint to led to the holding of two classes- 1:00-2:00 PM and As a Division Chief it is always important how you influ- another. I had only two emotions, worried and very 2:00-3:00 PM during Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays ence your colleagues to perform towards a common goal. worried,” Abrenica said jokingly months after the har- at the RMSC Swimming Pool. Basketball came second, According to Mr. Many, he always shares to his fellow rowing experience. having 60 participants who all completed the program employees, especially the young ones, what he have ex- held from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM on Mondays, Wednes- perienced in the PSC—the ups and downs, achievements He reached Cagayan de Oro City by 7pm, he days and Fridays. Taekwondo had 40 participants who and challenges that he have gone through all these years. was then joined by two other vans both with a driver attended the clinic held at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium With that, they themselves can draw realizations which and an alternate driver. from 9:00- 11:00 AM on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fri- may motivate them to continue their passion for work, days. Lastly, Badminton had twenty-five participants especially in the government service. All the success have May 24/ 8PM. Upon arriving at Cagayan de who attended the program held at the RMSC Badminton its own struggle that made each person strong and grow. Oro City, Sandra Arreza remembered seeing Abrenica Hall from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM on Mondays, Wednesdays at their rendezvous point immediately giving instruc- and Fridays. “I was designated as Acting Chief of the Admin- tions, “lahat ng bag ilagay sa isang van.” istrative Division concurrently, Head of the Personnel The closing ceremony was held at the Athlete’s Section then. There was a management decision for the “Nung narinig ko yon, yung energy ko na me- Dining Hall. PSC Commissioner Arnold Agustin, along non-renewal of contracts of contractual employees. It dyo mataas pa, talagang bumagsak yung energy ko. with Executive Director Atty. Carlo Abarquez, Senior was my job to follow the management directive but I am Sabi ko sa sarili ko, akala ko ba dito lang? Kasi kinabu- Executive Assistant Ronnel Abrenica and PSI National also concerned about the welfare of the employees. I did kasan flight na to Manila. Ayaw ng lahat, ayaw na mag Training Director Marc Velasco, graced the event. In his not consider that as a problem, but a challenge, rather. biyahe kasi pagod na, dahil sa maghapon na biyahe, welcome remarks, Atty. Abarquez commended the suc- I managed to handle that by having proper discernment stress, lahat na nandun,” Arreza recounted. cess of the clinic. Speaking as a father himself, he high- on things. I disregarded emotional attachments, dealt lighted the integral values which can be learned from with it professionally and focused on what was necessary She said he remembered Abrenica being firm taking up a sport and importance of a sporting culture for the Agency. I am not exactly sure why, but I have al- when he said, “Di ko kayo pipilitin, kung ayaw ninyo in the lives of the youth today. Meanwhile, in his closing ways been assigned to handle work assignments or chal- sumama, pero ito ang sasabihin ko sa inyo, makakau- remarks, Commissioner Agustin expressed his hopes lenging office tasks that nobody first tried to spearhead. wi kayo ng Manila pero hindi nyo alam kung kelan, for the continuity of the children’s interest in sports and Fortunately, with the help of course of my colleagues, I kung mag-stay kayo ng CDO.” the possibility of pushing the program forward to those STEPPING UP FOR THE CALL managed to handle those, successfully,” concluded Bitog. from page 9.... outside of PSC in order to make sports more accessible In every situation what’s important is we always come up Everybody moved to get their belongings in to more children in the country. nation Division. But currently he handles the Sports Facilities on what really is necessary and for good of the agency. one van.

They reached Davao City by 4 am. Everybody EDITORIAL BOARD EDITORIAL STAFF went straight to bed, the day’s stress and catching CHAIRMAN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF up. They slept a fitful sleep and did not wake up until Marc Edward Velasco was relieved to see all safe and un- The PSC staff caught in Marawi did not know that the Pal- William I. Ramirez Ronnel O. Abrenica 10 am, just in time to catch the tail-end of breakfast. harmed. He welcomed everybody with a big sigh of relief. ace was monitoring developments all along. Although the Come lunch time, Chairman Ramirez was with them COMMISSIONERS MANAGING EDITOR experience was traumatic, it gave way for some people to Malyn P. Bamba and treated them to a sumptuous seafood meal. Ev- Chairman Ramirez said he was not able to sleep Arnold A. Agustin notice the role sports can play in the healing and resto- Ramon S. Fernandez eryone was given a box of pomelo to take home. the night when the PSC contingent was still inside the ASSOCIATE EDITORS Celia H. Kiram MSU campus. ration. Michelle S. Balunan Charles Raymond A. Maxey At that time, there was also another group of Karlo Paolo R. Pates “Hindi nyo alam kung gaano ako nakiusap, nan- The PSC went on to more edition of the Chil- PSC personnel in Davao City for another project. Ev- EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WRITERS gulit at nagdasal. Mga buhay ng mga taga-PSC ang na- dren’s Games holding one for Marawi City evacuee-kids eryone hugged each other tightly, thankful all made it Atty. Carlo E. Abarquez Chariza Fe V. De Vera CONTRIBUTING WRITER in Iligan in July. The theme was “Nggita-gita Tano!!! Mag- safely out. The other group on a project in Davao City kataya dito,” the PSC Chief said, “I was praying na hin- Jio Santino F. Deslate Marianne S. Abalayan di alam ng mga Maute group na may mga taga-Office of dula Ta!” (Let’s Meet! Let’s Play!). Cristina M. Garcia was ironically conducting the first-ever Children’s CONSULTING EDITORS the President na andun. Nang magkita kami ng grupo sa The PSC Newsmagazine is the official quarterly Allan M. Gatchalian Games for Peace, which opened the day Marawi was publication of the Philippine Sports Commission with editorial of- Prof. Serg Opena Davao City, tuwang-tuwa ako at ligtas sila. Ang buti ng Di- Some of the staff caught in the Marawi siege were part of Joash David L. Ricanor overtaken. fice at RMSC Pablo Ocampo Sr. St. Malate, Manila Philippines. 1004. Abigail Marie V. Rivera Prof. Ed Fernandez yos na maayos silang nakaligtas,” the Chairman said. the group which visited Iligan. It was their way of healing Elias S. Samorin Prof. Gemima Valderrama too. Their concern for the people was more tremendous May 25/7:30PM. After a delayed flight, they all reached The editors welcome sports stories from contributors from all over the Aizabelle Rose R. Terrado ART DIRECTOR Post-story than the trauma they once faced. Manila late afternoon that day. PSI National Director country. Please send your articles with your name, Ledda Marie R. Tuazon Chirstopher Laurence M. Realogio address and contact number to [email protected] Yvette C. Tormon

22 April - June 2017 | PSC NEWSMAGAZINE April - June 2017 | PSC NEWSMAGAZINE 23 PHILIPPINE SPORTS COMMISSION NEWSMAGAZINE

“The real gold are our children” William I. Ramirez Chairman, Philippine Sports Commission Children’s Games Opening Ceremony Davao City

24 April - June 2017 | PSC NEWSMAGAZINE